Conventional toilets typically include a toilet bowl, seat, and cover. Maintaining the hygienic condition of conventional toilets that are used by both females and males, so-called uni-sex toilets, is problematic. When a male uses a conventional toilet to urinate, the seat and cover are typically raised to provide direct access to the toilet bowl. Unfortunately, in many instances such use can lead to soiling of the toilet bowl rim and perhaps the areas adjacent the toilet. The soiled toilet and adjacent areas then become unsightly and unpleasant. In some circumstances, such conventional toilets can be used heavily between cleanings thus increasing the potential for non-hygienic and unpleasant conditions. For example, male children often have difficulty using conventional toilets as urinals. The conventional toilets available in most homes are thus subject to the described-soiling problem. In addition, elderly males as well as males suffering from illnesses frequently have difficulty using conventional toilets as urinals. Consequently, the uni-sex toilets available in many hospitals and nursing homes are also subject to the described-soiling problem. However, difficulty in using a conventional toilet as a urinal is not limited to only very young males, elderly males, or males suffering from illnesses. Thus, most uni-sex toilets are subject to the described soiling problem.
Several toilet bowl splash guards have been proposed to address the soiling problem which can occur when a conventional toilet is used as a urinal. Existing toilet bowl splash guards can be generally categorized into two classes. The first class includes toilet bowl splash guards which are relatively permanently-attached to a toilet and remain attached to the toilet between uses. Examples of relatively permanently-attached toilet bowl splash guards include: Rego et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,589, Fulbright, U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,062, Jacobson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,784, Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,859, Jankowski, U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,649, Gregovski, U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,803, and Blaha, U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,925. Rego, Fulbright, and Jacobson disclose collapsible splash guards which are secured to the toilet bowl rim and to the seat of a conventional toilet. In Rego, the splash guard includes a pair of pleated shields which are secured to the bowl rim by clips and to the lower face of the seat by a modified seat bumper. The splash guard is deployed by lifting the seat. When the seat is lowered, the pleated shields are folded between the seat and the rim, and along the exterior of the rim towards the tank. In Fulbright, the splash guard includes a curved pleated splash shield which is secured to the toilet bowl rim and to the lower face of the seat by appropriate means. Fulbright further discloses an elaborate lifting apparatus which lifts the seat and seat cover above the toilet bowl to deploy the splash guard. When the seat is locked in a lowered position, the splash shield is folded within the toilet bowl along the inner surface of the rim. In Jacobson, the splash guard includes a folded splash shield which is secured by suitable means, such as adhesive or Velcro fasteners, to the rim and to the lower face of the seat in an area adjacent the hinges that secure the seat to the bowl. The splash guard is deployed by raising the seat and is folded between the seat and rim when the seat is lowered.
Anderson and Jankowski disclose collapsible splash guards which are secured to the toilet bowl rim but not to the seat. In Anderson, the splash guard includes a cylindrical pleated splash shield which is secured to the rim by brackets. The cylindrical shield includes a vertical slit which provides one type of access to the interior of the toilet bowl. A lever mechanism attached to the top of the splash shield and to a foot pedal raises the top of the shield above the rim. When the splash guard is lowered, the splash shield is folded within the toilet bowl along the inner surface of the rim. In Jankowski, the splash guard includes a substantially C-shaped splash shield which is secured to the rim by U-shaped spring clips. The spring clips raise the top of the splash shield above the rim when the seat is raised. When the seat is lowered, the shield is stored within the toilet bowl.
Gregovski discloses a toilet bowl splash guard in which the splash shield is secured to the lower surface of the seat but not to the rim. The splash shield has two side panels joined together to a horseshoe shaped rim which is attached to the lower surface of a conventional toilet seat. When the seat is raised, the side panels abut the outer side of the toilet bowl rim. When the seat is lowered, the side panels extend over the exterior sides of the toilet bowl.
Blaha discloses a collapsible splash guard shield which is used in conjunction with a modified seat cover and which includes a splash shield that is secured only to the modified seat cover. The modified seat cover includes an upper lid hingedly attached to a lower lid. The lower lid is attached to the seat by a conventional hinge. The splash shield consists of a flexible, accordion pleated tube having an open top defined by a circular upper end and a circular ring. The bottom of the splash shield is attached to the lower lid by connector means which may consist of snaps, zippers, or a hook and loop fastener. When the upper lid is raised, the circular ring moves upward slightly, above the lower lid. When the upper lid is lowered, the splash shield collapses and is sandwiched between the upper lid and the lower lid.
The above-described splash guards suffer from several disadvantages. For example, the splash guards of Fulbright, Anderson, Jankowski, and Blaha are very complicated, and therefore can be costly to manufacture. Fulbright and Blaha also require extensive modification of the toilet. Some of the splash guards, for example, Rego and Fulbright, are difficult to install and require that the seat and seat cover be unhinged from the toilet bowl during installation. In addition, some of the splash guards can be difficult to use, for example, Anderson and Blaha. Some of the splash guards do not protect a significant portion of the toilet bowl rim, for example, Jacobson and Gregovski. Moreover, some of the splash guards detract from the appearance of the toilet when the seat is in a lowered position, for example, Rego, Fulbright, and Gregovski.
The second class includes toilet bowl splash guards which are removably attached to a toilet and are removed from the toilet after each use. Examples of removably attached toilet bowl splash guards include: Whitman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,676, Masters et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,840, Krischer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,791,780, Bressler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,512, Otto et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,980,919, and Renshaw, U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,778. Whitman, Masters, and Bressler disclose splash guards that include inverted cup-like splash shields which are removably secured to toilet bowl rims. The cup-like splash shields include an aperture which provides a pathway into the toilet bowl. Bressler, Otto, and Renshaw disclose rigid, U-shaped splash shields which are removably secured to toilet bowl rims by various means, such as clips.
These removably-attached splash guards also suffer from several disadvantages. Because these splash guards do not collapse, they must be removed from the toilet before the toilet can be used with the seat in a lowered position. Consequently, storage of these splash guards between uses can lead to soiling of the storage area. And once removed, the splash guards must be reattached to the toilet when the toilet is to be used as a urinal. In some circumstances, for example, when the toilet is used by a male child, an elderly male, or a male suffering from a disease, reattaching the splash guards can require the assistance of another person. Thus, these splash guards can also be difficult to use. Moreover, some of these splash guards have relatively small openings which can also make the splash guards difficult to use, for example, Whitman, Masters, and Krischer.
A need therefore exists for an improved toilet bowl splash guard which protects the toilet bowl rim and adjacent areas from soiling when the toilet is used as a urinal.